The American Dream

The American Dream

There are various individuals throughout the world who believe that the American Dream cannot be achieved by all people. Those who agree with this view believe that our culture contains too many roadblocks and obstacles. Some of these obstacles include prejudice, poverty, and social inequality. Another view on this matter is that others believe that America is the “Land of Opportunity”. They also believe that if you can believe it, you can achieve it. Back in the early 20th century, The American Dream meant something to people; nowadays it is a term that various people loosely throw around. The American Dream is not realistic because it is not attainable to everyone like Cal Thomas presumes and although education, budget cuts and lack of employment may seem of some concern to only a small group of people, it should in fact concern anyone who cares about the status of the economy.
The American Dream is the traditional, social ideals of the U.S. such as equality, democracy, and material prosperity. “The American Dream is the ideals of freedom, equality and opportunity, traditionally held to be available to every American” (Dictionary.com). It was believed to be a life of material happiness and comfort. Nowadays, The American Dream is nothing more than a mere stipulation. Bob Herbert and Cal Thomas are two individuals that bring up quite a few key points in their arguments pertaining to the American Dream and the economy. While one focuses in on how we as Americans had a huge hand in the current crisis of our “hidden” reality, the other focuses in on the government’s hand in this affair as to cause him to actually question is the American Dream really over?
Bob Herbert was a columnist that wrote for the New York ...

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... shining, his golden opportunity…the right to live, to work, to be himself, and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him…”(qtd.in The American Dream). A person who “manages” to achieve his or her version of the American Dream is often said to be “living the dream”. However this concept has been subjected to great criticism because some people that the social structure of the U.S. prevents such an idealistic goal for everyone. May critics often allude to various examples of inequality rooted in class, race, ethnicity, and religion, which suggests that the American Dream is not attainable to everyone. The principles of the American Dream are too idealistic. Everyone has dreams and goals, but the American Dream is one that is infinite and endless. It is very difficult to live the dream when so much of it is obscured by the government.